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Salted Caramel Brownies

Salted Caramel is everywhere these days. I wasn’t convinced first time I tried salted caramel chocolates but I realized afterwards that it was the quality of the chocolate.  Since then I have really started to enjoy salted caramel ice cream, salted caramels, salted caramel chocolates and now salted caramel brownies.

I have also found my favorite place for these products that I just have to share with you.   The only place I get my salted caramel chocolates is Fran’s Chocolates here in Seattle.  When I send chocolates I always send them from Fran’s Chocolates.  I have also heard that it is Obama’s favorite chocolates as well.  But if you have not tried their chocolates, you are missing out. 

Then my favorite just plain salted caramels come from Jon Boy.  I was introduced to Jon Boy a few weeks ago when my good friend Monika from Splendid Willow came over for dinner and gave me a little box of these caramels.  I put them on the side not reading the box and realizing the next day what they were.  And wow, what a surprise.  These are amazing. These Seattle made caramels are amazing. They are made with local cream, organic sugar, fleur de sel and organic brown-rice syrup by former local Whole Foods employee Jonathan Sue and business partner Jason Alm, these little boxes of 15 or so caramels pack in a whole lot of happiness. Today they are only selling these locally in Seattle, but you can get them online, and let me tell you, you will not be disappointed.

I am still looking for the best salted caramel ice cream. I have tried a few including Molly Moons locally made ice cream and I was a little disappointed, it tasted like they put table salt in the ice cream.  The best salted caramel gelato is at Vios Restaurant in Seattle. But my next experiment is to try to make it myself. Anyone have any good recipes for salted caramel ice cream?

Then when I saw a recipe on Salted Caramel Brownies I realized I had to try these.  I have seen a few people do salted Caramel brownies, The Pioneer Woman does one but she uses gelatin to make the caramel and I did not want that. Then I found this recipe from Brown Eyed Baker when she did “What’s Cooking in Your Kitchen” a few months back.  I have since then done this recipe a few times and always a big hit, the brownie is chewy, creamy, sweet and salty.  Just the way I like it.  It took me a few tries to master the caramel sauce but I finally figured it out. 

Here are some of my notes and changes that i did to the original recipe. Make sure your heat is on medium heat and use a sauté pan to make the caramel not a pot, every time I used a pot the caramel would harden and get lumpy, even on medium or low heat.

Secondly the brownie should only be in the oven for 25 minutes, for me it was overcooked once it hit 30 minutes.  I also used more than required salted caramel and the left over salted caramel I served as a sauce on top of the brownie which everyone enjoyed.

Do you have any favorite salted caramel recipes?

Salted Caramel Brownies

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 25 | Yield: 16 brownies

5 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into quarters
3 tbsp cocoa powder
3 eggs
1¼ cups granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp sea salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe below)
Fine sea salt

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost-simmering water, melt the chocolates and butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. (Or, melt in the microwave on 50% power for 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth.) Whisk in the cocoa until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture; then stir in the flour until just combined. Pour about half of the brownie mixture into the prepared pan and spread into the corners. Spoon 1/4 of Salted Caramel Sauce on top of the brownie batter. Top with the remaining brownie mixture, spread into the corners and level the surface with a spatula. Again,  spoon 1/4 dollops of the Salted Caramel Sauce on top of the brownie batter. With a dull butter knife, gently run it through the batter to swirl the batter just a bit (don’t do it too much or it will all mix together).

Bake until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a small amount of sticky crumbs, 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. (If you can wait that long). Cut the brownies into squares and remove them from the pan. Serve with some extra caramel sauce.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Cook Time: 15 minutes

1 cup granulated sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp fine sea salt
2/3 cup heavy cream, at room temperature 

In a sauté pan, heat the sugar over medium heat, whisking as the sugar begins to melt, this takes about 5 minutes. Some of the sugar will harden into clumps, that is ok just keep whisking. Continue to cook the sugar until it reaches a dark amber color. At that point, whisk in the salt, and then add the butter all at once and whisk until it is completely incorporated into the sugar. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the heavy cream (it will foam up when first added). Continue to whisk until it forms a smooth sauce. (If your sauce is lumpy and hard something went wrong.) 

Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before using in the brownies.

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Comments

  3. Love salted caramel and I mean LOVE it! I just made brownies with some left over caramel on Wednesday. My caramel sunk. 🙂

    Happy Friday!
    ~ingrid

  4. Funny, I’ve got brownies in
    the oven as I type….
    Should have checked my
    e-mail earlier for the
    carmel sauce! Instead,
    I’m actually making the
    Pioneer Woman’s mocha
    frosting…..My daughter
    and I both LOVE salted
    caramel and I’m going
    to check out the candies
    that you mentioned….and
    of course, try the recipe.
    Thank you for it!
    xx Suzanne

  6. I’ve been dreaming about those exact brownies lately. I even bought some caramels. It’s going to happen! This is torture, I really really want a brownie right now.

  7. I keep finding salted caramel everywhere now – and it’s so addictive!! The salty/sweet combo can’t be beat. These brownies look to die for – I want some right now!!

  9. I just had my first encounter with Fran’s at Sur la Table in San Francisco. I had the grey salt dark chocolate caramels and O.M.G. I’m now obsessed with the combo, and will definitely try your recipe. It sounds delicious, thank you so much for sharing it!

  10. I just made them they are cooking in the oven, and the aroma is unbelievable. The sauce turned out exactly as you said, although it took me closer to 15 minutes to get the sugar to melt than 5 minutes. It did clump up as you said then started to magically melt.
    This caramel sauce maybe our new family favorite. Have to go… ned to check on brownies in oven

  11. Now that post is just mean! That looks SOOOO freaking good it makes it impossible to watch the waist line. I think I may have gained a pound just looking at the picture. You are killin’ me!

  12. Well isn’t this post written all for me! I love salted carmels and especially the tiny ones (so you can eat more!) from Fran’s. I am so happy you like the ones I brought over.

    Your photography is great my friend. I might just need to come over and demand that you make another batch of that fantastic brownie. I was babbling so much that I missed the entire treat! With salty carmel sauce and everything.

    Happy new week to you my friend.

    Mon

  13. Wow, I am late to the salted caramel thing, I have not tried it yet, as it did not sound appealing before. But now that I have seen the pictures and recipe of it, I am going to try it out. Thanks for sharing the idea.

  14. These brownies look amazing on their own, but totally irresistable with that salted caramel drizzle… I have yet to try this combo, but it can only be great! My two favourite flavours combined! I’ve only tried making fudge topped with maldon salt, or peanuts!

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